Dirty old leaf

Not quite done yet
London, ON
October 2020
This photo originally shared on Instagram

The first thing that comes to mind when you see a tattered old leaf just barely clinging to a branch is a single word: "Why?"

Why bother shooting it? Why would anyone want to spend their free time looking at it? Isn't it long past its best-by date?

By the conventional standards of beauty, the answer should be fairly simple. It's tired, worn out, done. And consequently not worthy of further attention. It had its time.

But here's the thing about conventional standards of beauty: They make no sense to those of us who bristle at the prospect of conventionality.

Think about it: Who defines those supposed conventional standards in the first place? What qualifications do they have? And why are we so content to follow their lead like so many sheep?

From the things we wear, watch, listen to, and buy to the things we choose to record, talk about, and spend time with, we've allowed ourselves to let others dictate our path. We've allowed others to tell us what is and is not beautiful instead of figuring it out for ourselves. We've become followers. And in doing so, we've allowed our stories to look and sound a lot like theirs.

Pity that.

So on this sunny autumn day, my path took me into the woods around Westminster Ponds where I found a ratty leaf just before it fell one last time. No one told me where to go or what to do. I followed my own path.

I humbly suggest you do the same. You might be pleasantly surprised by the unconventional beauty - your beauty - that you find along the way.

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